Home > Money > Question
Need Expert Advice?Our Gurus Can Help
Vivek

Vivek Lala  |323 Answers  |Ask -

Tax, MF Expert - Answered on Mar 09, 2024

Vivek Lala has been working as a tax planner since 2018. His expertise lies in making personalised tax budgets and tax forecasts for individuals. As a tax advisor, he takes pride in simplifying tax complications for his clients using simple, easy-to-understand language.
Lala cleared his chartered accountancy exam in 2018 and completed his articleship with Chaturvedi and Shah. ... more
Sundy Question by Sundy on Feb 25, 2024Hindi
Listen
Money

Hello Sir, i had Sovereign gold bond in zerodha(first buyer) which i gufted to my wife. Zerodha is showing realized gain for gift transaction for me. Is this accurate? Do i need to pay taxes for gain?

Ans: Hello , the taxation related to capital gains arises when there is a sale of the asset and not on gift
So the tax liability will arise to your wife when she sells the SGB and her cost will be the cost at which you acquired and not the gift value
DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information to be as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision.
Money

You may like to see similar questions and answers below

Moneywize

Moneywize   | Answer  |Ask -

Financial Planner - Answered on Sep 01, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - Sep 01, 2024Hindi
Listen
Money
I have received some good money from NHAI bonds which I have invested 5 years back. Is it necessary to show the received money in IT Returns? My income is less than taxable income. Is it necessary to file IT returns due to NHAI bonds maturity amount? Please explain.
Ans: Yes, even if your income is below the taxable threshold, it is advisable to file Income Tax Returns (ITR) if you've received money from NHAI bonds due to the following reasons:

Taxability of Interest: Although NHAI bonds provide tax exemption on the principal amount, the interest earned during the holding period may be taxable, depending on the bond type. You need to declare this interest in your ITR.

Reporting of Exempt Income: If you have received any exempt income, such as tax-free interest, it's a good practice to report this in your ITR under ‘Exempt Income.’

Filing Requirement: While your total income may be below the taxable limit, the receipt of capital from bonds could involve capital gains implications, which also need to be reported.

Capital Gains: If you've held the NHAI bonds for more than 36 months (long-term capital gain), the profit you've made on maturity might be taxable. The specific tax treatment depends on your overall income and other investments.

Interest Income: While the interest earned on NHAI bonds is generally exempt from tax, there might be exceptions or specific rules depending on your overall income and other factors.

It's highly recommended to consult with a tax professional or accountant. They can provide personalized advice based on your specific financial situation, the type of NHAI bonds you've invested in, and the applicable tax laws.

Here are some additional points to consider:

• Tax Deductions: You might be able to claim tax deductions or exemptions based on other investments or expenses.
• Tax Planning: A tax professional can help you plan your investments and expenses to minimise your tax liability.
• Changes in Tax Laws: Tax laws can change, so it's important to stay updated.

By filing your income tax returns accurately, you'll ensure compliance with the law and avoid potential penalties and ensure smooth processing of future financial transactions.

..Read more

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10881 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Oct 24, 2024

Listen
Money
Dear Money Gurus, I have invested in Sovereign Gold Bonds. I know if the bonds are held for full 8 years the redemption is tax free. However, I want to check if I opt to redeem the bonds after 5 years as per the Government window available, will the gains be taxable?
Ans: You mentioned considering the option to redeem the bonds after 5 years. The government provides a redemption window starting from the fifth year. This is convenient if you need liquidity before the 8-year term ends.

The question is whether the capital gains from redeeming after 5 years will be taxable.

In short, yes, the gains will be taxable if you redeem before the 8-year period.

Let me explain in detail.

Tax Implications on Redemption Before 8 Years
SGBs enjoy a unique tax benefit when held for the full tenure of 8 years. Any capital gains from redeeming the bonds after 8 years are completely tax-free. However, if you opt to redeem the bonds after 5 years using the available exit window, the capital gains will not enjoy the tax-free benefit.

If you redeem after 5 years but before 8 years, the capital gains will be taxed as long-term capital gains (LTCG).

LTCG on SGBs is taxed at 12.5% if the gains exceed Rs. 1.25 lakh in a financial year.
Short-term gains (STCG) are taxed at 20% if redeemed within three years.
By redeeming after 5 years, the government treats it as an early exit, and the LTCG taxation applies.

Interest Income: Taxable Every Year
It’s also essential to note that the interest earned on SGBs, which is currently set at 2.5% per annum, is taxable every year. This interest is added to your income and taxed as per your income tax slab.

You cannot avoid taxation on the interest income. So, even though you are considering redeeming after 5 years, your interest income has already been taxed annually.

Should You Redeem After 5 Years?
While the option to redeem after 5 years offers flexibility, it's important to weigh the tax implications. Redeeming after 5 years will attract LTCG tax, which reduces your net gains.

If your financial needs permit, holding the bonds for the full 8-year tenure will maximize the tax benefits, allowing you to redeem them tax-free.

This strategy makes SGBs more effective as a long-term investment.

Final Insights
If you redeem after 5 years, you will pay LTCG tax at 12.5% on gains exceeding Rs. 1.25 lakh.

The interest you earn each year is taxable and added to your total income.

Holding the bonds for the full 8 years will help you avoid capital gains tax, as the redemption is tax-free at that point.

Opt for early redemption only if you need liquidity or other financial circumstances require it. Otherwise, holding the bonds for the entire tenure offers better tax efficiency.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment

..Read more

Latest Questions
Nayagam P

Nayagam P P  |10854 Answers  |Ask -

Career Counsellor - Answered on Dec 14, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025Hindi
Career
Hello, I am currently in Class 12 and preparing for JEE. I have not yet completed even 50% of the syllabus properly, but I aim to score around '110' marks. Could you suggest an effective strategy to achieve this? I know the target is relatively low, but I have category reservation, so it should be sufficient.
Ans: With category reservation (SC/ST/OBC), a score of 110 marks is absolutely achievable and realistic. Based on 2025 data, SC candidates qualified with approximately 60-65 percentile, and ST candidates with 45-55 percentile. Your target requires scoring just 37-40% marks, which is significantly lower than general category standards. This gives you a genuine advantage. Immediate Action Plan (December 2025 - January 2026): 4-5 Weeks. Week 1-2: High-Weightage Chapter Focus. Stop trying to complete the entire syllabus. Instead, focus exclusively on high-scoring chapters that carry maximum weightage: Physics (Modern Physics, Current Electricity, Work-Power-Energy, Rotation, Magnetism), Chemistry (Chemical Bonding, Thermodynamics, Coordination Compounds, Electrochemistry), and Maths (Integration, Differentiation, Vectors, 3D Geometry, Probability). These chapters alone can yield 80-100+ marks if practiced properly. Ignore topics you haven't studied yet. Week 2-3: Previous Year Questions (PYQs). Solve JEE Main PYQs from the last 10 years (2015-2025) for chapters you're studying. PYQs reveal question patterns and difficulty levels. Focus on understanding why answers are correct, not memorizing solutions. Week 3-4: Mock Tests & Error Analysis. Take 2-3 full-length mock tests weekly under timed conditions. This is crucial because mock tests build exam confidence, reveal time management weaknesses, and error analysis prevents repeated mistakes. Maintain an error notebook documenting every mistake—this becomes your revision guide. Week 4-5: Revision & Formula Consolidation. Create concise formula sheets for each subject. Spend 30 minutes daily reviewing formulas and key concepts. Avoid learning new topics entirely at this stage. Study Schedule (Daily): 7-8 Hours. Morning (5:00-7:30 AM): Physics concepts + 30 PYQs. Break (7:30-8:30 AM): Breakfast & rest. Mid-morning (8:30-11:00): Chemistry concepts + 20 PYQs. Lunch (11:00-1:00 PM): Full break. Afternoon (1:00-3:30 PM): Maths concepts + 30 PYQs. Evening (3:30-5:00 PM): Mock test or error review. Night (7:00-9:00 PM): Formula revision & weak area focus. Strategic Approach for 110 Marks: Attempt only confident questions and avoid negative marking by skipping difficult questions. Do easy questions first—in the exam, attempt all basic-level questions before attempting medium or hard ones. Focus on quality over quantity as 30 well-practiced questions beat 100 random questions. Master NCERT concepts as most JEE questions test NCERT concepts applied smartly. April 2026 Session Advantage. If January doesn't deliver desired results, April gives you a second chance with 3+ months to prepare. Use January as a practice attempt to identify weak areas, then focus intensively on those in February-March. Realistic Timeline: January 2026 target is 95-110 marks (achievable with focused 50% syllabus), while April 2026 target is 120-130 marks (with complete syllabus + experience). Your reservation benefit means you need only approximately 90-105 marks to qualify and secure admission to quality engineering colleges. Stop comparing yourself to general category cutoffs. Most Importantly: Consistency beats perfection. Study 6 focused hours daily rather than 12 distracted hours. Your 110-mark target is realistic—execute this plan with discipline. All the BEST for Your JEE 2026!

Follow RediffGURUS to Know More on 'Careers | Money | Health | Relationships'.

...Read more

Dr Dipankar

Dr Dipankar Dutta  |1840 Answers  |Ask -

Tech Careers and Skill Development Expert - Answered on Dec 13, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025
Career
Dear Sir/Madam, I am currently a 1st year UG student studying engineering in Sairam Engineering College, But there the lack of exposure and strict academics feels so rigid and I don't like it that. It's like they don't gaf about skills but just wants us to memorize things and score a good CGPA, the only skill they want is you to memorize things and pass, there's even special class for students who don't perform well in academics and it is compulsory for them to attend or else the student and his/her parents needs to face authorities who lashes out. My question is when did engineering became something that requires good academics instead of actual learning and skill set. In sairam they provides us a coding platform in which we need to gain the required points for each semester which is ridiculous cuz most of the students here just look at the solution to code instead of actual debugging. I am passionate about engineering so I want to learn and experiment things instead of just memorizing, so I actually consider dropping out and I want to give jee a try and maybe viteee , srmjeee But i heard some people say SRM may provide exposure but not that good in placements. I may not be excellent at studies but my marks are decent. So gimme some insights about SRM and recommend me other colleges/universities which are good at exposure
Ans: First — your frustration is valid

What you are experiencing at Sairam is not engineering, it is rote-based credential production.

“When did engineering become memorizing instead of learning?”

Sadly, this shift happened decades ago in most Tier-3 private colleges in India.

About “coding platforms & points” – your observation is sharp

You are absolutely right:

Mandatory coding points → students copy solutions

Copying ≠ learning

Debugging & thinking are missing

This is pseudo-skill education — it looks modern but produces shallow engineers.

The fact that you noticed this in 1st year already puts you ahead of 80% students.

Should you DROP OUT and prepare for JEE / VITEEE / SRMJEEE?

Although VIT/SRM is better than Sairam Engineering College, but you may face the same problem. You will not face this type of problem only in some top IITs, but getting seat in those IITs will be difficult.
Instead of dropping immediately, consider:

???? Strategy:

Stay enrolled (degree security)

Reduce emotional investment in college rules

Use:

GitHub

Open-source projects

Hackathons

Internships (remote)

Hardware / software self-projects

This way:

College = formality

Learning = self-driven

Risk = minimal

...Read more

DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related document carefully before investing. The securities quoted are for illustration only and are not recommendatory. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information and as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision. RediffGURUS is an intermediary as per India's Information Technology Act.

Close  

You haven't logged in yet. To ask a question, Please Log in below
Login

A verification OTP will be sent to this
Mobile Number / Email

Enter OTP
A 6 digit code has been sent to

Resend OTP in120seconds

Dear User, You have not registered yet. Please register by filling the fields below to get expert answers from our Gurus
Sign up

By signing up, you agree to our
Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy

Already have an account?

Enter OTP
A 6 digit code has been sent to Mobile

Resend OTP in120seconds

x